DESCRIPTION (adapted from the Abstract): University of Florida Health Science Center (UFHSC) will create an IAIMS planning process leading, over the course of two years, to its? first strategic program for information technology (IT). The planning process involves members from all parts of the institution and its? missions: education, research and patient care. Participants include the UF community outside the Health Science Center; and Shands Health Care, the University?s strategic health care partner. The overall vision for the environment of UF IAIMS is to ?through innovative planning, create a culture of sharing data, information, and knowledge, in support of health care providers, educators, scientists, and students, to improve the health of the community.? The world is changing rapidly and UFHSC is also changing. Many new opportunities can be exploited by effective use of information technology and library science. By creating and sustaining a vibrant and responsive planning process, the ability to innovate and respond to change is improved. Working in coordination with all participating institutions, a strategic program will be developed to address the IT needs of users and to improve the sharing of data, information and knowledge in service to all missions. Commitment and collaboration supports each member of the Community in sharing what they know as a part of their job, thereby strengthening the institution. Issues of knowledge development, incentive systems, security of data, interfaces between systems and institutions and improved use of information resources for planning and decision-mailing will be addressed. Processes for creating projects to demonstrate the value of integrated planning will be developed. The final UP AIMS Strategic Program will reflect a process designed to transform practice, focusing on organizational issues to enable the UP AIMS Community to access and effectively use data, information and knowledge, promoting the integration and sharing of information. The IT Strategic Program will be self-renewing, dynamic and inclusionary. The Action Plan to develop the IT Strategic Program is organized around eight task forces: Education, Research, Patient Care, Community, Knowledge Management, IT Standards and Procedures, and Area Integration. The Task Forces will consider both mission and infrastructure issues in making recommendations to a Steering Committee for adoption in the IT Strategic Program. Recommendations will include needed resources and implementation plans. An Executive Advisory Board will assist the principal investigator by identifying planning issues and providing broad institutional perspective. An External Evaluation Board will monitor the progress and effectiveness of the planning process.